Combined land and water vehicle



Jan, 27. 1,925.

. H. TRZECIAK COMBINED LAND AND WATER VEHICLE 3- Sheets-Sheet 1 4 Jan.27. 1925. 1,524,599

... H EITF.I

H. TRZECIAK COMBINED LAND AND WATER VEHICLE emT It Jan, 2 7. 1925.

H. TRZECIAK COMBINED LAND AND WATER VEHICLE Filed y 18, 1923 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN TRZECI AK, OF WAKPALA, SOUTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TOKAZIMIERZ BLASCYK, OLE WAKIPALA, SOUTH DAKOTA.

COMBINED LAND AND WATER VEHICLE.

' Application filed July 18, 1923. Serial No. 652,868.

To aZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HERMAN TnzEoIAK, a citizen of Poland, residing atWakpala, in the county-of Corson and State of South Dakota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Land and aterVehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements incombined land and water vehicles, the vehicle when used upon land beingin the form of a motor sleigh carryin front and rear runners with drivewheels for the sleigh mounted upon the rear runners and operated by theusual motor housed within the vehicle body.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved type ofdrive wheel for a motor sleigh or water vehicle wherein resilientlymounted radial arms carry ground engaging spurs at their outer ends,each arm carrying a paddle blade adapted for use when the vehicle isused in water.

With the above and other objects in view as the nature of the inventionis better understood, the same consists of the novel form, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in theaccompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a combined land and water vehicleconstructed in accordance with the present invention, showing thepropelling wheels at the rear end of the vehicle body, the braking forthe land vehicle and the steering means for the water vehicle,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the chassis construction with the rearpropeller or drive wheels removed and showing the brake and steeringmechanisms,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the rear end of the vehiclechassis showing the drive wheels for land and water, and

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly shown in section of one ofthe drive wheels.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, there isillustrated a combined land and water vehicle comprising a vehicle body1 in the form of an automobile body provided with watertight doors topermit the body to travel through water, the rear end of the body 1being supported on sled runners 2 by-transverse supporting bars 3interposed between the body 1 and sled runners as illustrated in Figs. 1and 2, the transverse bars 3 being placed by the angle members 1. Thefront end of the vehicle body is supported by forward sled runners 5carrying a frame structure 6 and bracket support 7 interposed betweenthe vehicle body and frame. structure as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1and 2. 1

The steering mechanism' for the vehicle or motor sleigh includes aperpendicular shaft 8 extending upwardly from the frame structure 6 andfixed thereto, the upper end of the shaft 8 carrying a bevel gear 9 that1s engaged by the bevel gear 10 upon the lower forward end of thesteering post 11 having the usual steering wheel 12 as shown in Figs. 1and 2. The bracket mount- 111g 7 is fixed to'the vehicle body 1 and thelower end 7 thereof is pivotally supported upon the frame structure 6axially of the shaft 8. Y

The driving mechanism for the vehicle when used as a motor sleigh,includes a motor 13, illustrated by dotted lines in'Fig. 1 and housedwithin the vehicle body with a drive rod connection 14 with the rearaxle 15 that carries the usual differential mechanism 16 as shown inFigs. 2 and 3. Each end of the axle 15 is supported in a bearing 17mounted upon the upper end of a block 18 carried by the rear sledrunners 2 and a driving wheel is supported adjacent each end of the axle15 inwardly of the side runners 2.

The drive wheel construction is shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4 andincludes a hollow hub 19 and an annular concentric tubular rim 20maintained in rigidly spaced relation relative to the hub 19 by thetubular spokes 21, the spokes being fixed to the hub and tubular ri'm.An opening isprovided in the inner side of the tubular rim 20 toaccommodate the mounting. of the outer ends of the tubular spokes 21while circumferentially extending slotted openings 22 are provided inthe outer side of the tubular rim, the hollow hub 19 being provided withslotted openings 23 communicating with the inneropen endof the spokes. A

disk plate 24 closes each side of the Wheel structure as shown in- Figs.1' and 4, and a hood 25, illustrated by dotted-lines 'in Fig. 1

overlies the drive Wheel.

A rod 26 is resiliently mounted in each tubular spoke 21, the inner,-end thereof projecting inwardly of the opening 23 in the hub 19 Whilethe'outen end thereof projects through the circumferentially eX- tendingslot 22 in theouterside of' the tubular rim 20. The inner end of eachspoke"rod 26 is longitudinally slotted as at 27; and a "pin 28extendingtransversely of the slotted openings 23 in the hub projects Itl'i'roiig'h themaslot' 27 providing a sliding and 'pivotal' mountii gfor the inner end of the rod. A"-*-'coil-"-spring 29surroundsthespokes-2l," the inner end of the spring engaging" the outei' face of thehub 19 Within the poke s illu'strate'd in Fig. l- 'ivliile' the "pin 30earr ied by the rod '26 f0r placing the rod under tension and normallyholding tl ie fsame at its liinit of outward movement.

-As 'sl'i'oyvn in FigE-AE, a disk-"abutment 31 is anchored inthet'ubular i'ini' 20' intermediate adjacent tubular spokes-21, a coilEspri'ng 32 -beingp ositi'oned in the tubular rim at each "side of the'rod 26 engaging "the abutment "disksBI andi being anchored as at 33 tooppositesidesof t'he 'r'od permitting limited pi'vo't'al niovernent ofthe oi'iter end of the 'rod 111 a -"circum ii"erenti al 1 direction.

5 The outer end of each spoke rod' 26 carries a pluralit etfeet 34"Witha ground engaging spur 35 detachably connected as at 36'to the outerend'oteachleg', the spurs 35 being "removable for replacement "when 40''damaged. 'Assho'ivninore' I *clearly in Fig.

' -3, atransversely"extendingplate or" blade spurs 35 f'iinctior'iing"ivhen' the vehicle is used upoin lalid 'yvhile the blades 37constitute=water propellers Whenthe"vehicle is "used as a boat.

Bral ing=ineans is provide'chfor the drive "Wheels ivhenus'ed as a'landvehicle, a trans verse'br'z'ike rod seem-lyin a brake pedal 4:0 andhaving rod connections 41' With-"links ""42 that are attached to*thearms lg carried by*the=brake 'shoes*4 l that in' turn are p'i votallymounted' as at 45 upoifithe rear runners 2, the w0r1iu facese the" brake55 511065 er being serrat'ed 'as ate to -i i'isure "braking-- engagementWith the road-bed.

f To accomplish steering of thedevice when used as a 'waterveh i-ele,ap'late 46 is s'ecured to the fra1nestrueture 6 of'the forward runner 5,the plate T 46 carrying- I oppositely directed' arms 4:? to which 1cables are 1 attached, the cables-crossing each other,- as illustratedin Fig. 2, and passing through the transversebracebars 3' to'beguided 05thereby for attaelnnent-to'--the rudder'eS ring engages the cross thatis pivotally mounted as at 50 upon the rear end oft'he vehicle body- 1,as shown 'more' clearly in Figs. 1' and 2.

From the above detail description of the invention, itis believedthatthe constructionand ,operationthereof will at once be apparent, it beingnoted that When the device is usedas a' land vehicle in the form of amotor sleigh, the ground engaging spurs '35 c a'rriecl 'by' t'he driveWheels cause a forward propulsion of the sleigh, the spoke rods 26having limitedlongitudinally slid- "i11g"moveinent' as Well as tensioned'circum- -fere'ntial movement adjacent the outer ends i th'e'reofaccommodated by thepin and slot "connection forthe i'nner' -ends of saidrods. The brake shoes 44 are'ap plied in the usual mannerby' the brakepedal 4.-O and link rod connections therewith control-lingmovement bfftlie s'led. Steering enerofds "accomplished by the 'front runners 5''and the steering nieeh'anism 'directly-associatedtherewith Randass-shown more clearly in Eig. l. \Vhen 5 the device is used'as a 'Watei vehicle or boat, cross plates "or blades 3'7 functiem as"propel'lers and steering thereof is a'cc'o'i'npl-ished by the rudderl9'con'n'ec'zted to' the arms l7 of the plate 46*tl1at is 'Operated bythe usual steering m'e'c mnism, as fab'ove described.

'VVhile th'ere' i's' h'er'ein shown described '-'the preferredemliod-ii'i'i'ents of the present i invention, it is nevertheless to 'beunderstood that minor cl1' a 1'1ges' 1nay"be' made therein "iv' ithoutdeparting from-"the spirit and'seope of the invention as claimed.

'lVhat is claimed as new is groundengaging and w'v aterpropel-"lingivheel for land andW'ater vehicles em- -"bodying ahollow hub andtubular rim, tu-

bular-"spokes eonnectingthehub and rim,

spoke rods pivotally connected at their inneirends to the hubs and"eiitending out- "Kv'ardly tliro-Ughi'the tubular spokes and rim and mounted;for' limited] pivotal movement 'cirou-mferenti ally of the rimand coilSprings *Within the tubular rim engaging opposite sides of the: spokerods.

2 1K" gromidenga ing' and Water propellingwvheel fonlan'dhnd'Watervehicles embodying a'hollow hub and tubular rim, tubular spokesconnecting-the hub and rim, spoke rod p'ivet-allyconnect d their innerends {to *the "hubs and eitending "out'wardl y 1 -tl1f0l1gl1 tl16 tubular spokes and rinr and mounted for -li mited pivotal movement eir"cumferenfiially o-f-the frim, coil springs with ii inthe tubular rim"engaging opposite sides -of' the' s'poke rods, the pivotal mounting forthe inner ends of the spokes including pin and slot 'connectionsand coilspring surrounding each'rod,' engaging' the hub at their I innerends,-a.nd abutments*forthe outer ends of the sp r-"ings carried bythe'spokerods.

A round engaging 'and Water propel- -ling Wheel for landand Watervehicles embodying a hollow hub and tubular rim, tuhular spokesconnecting the hub and rim, spoke rods pivotally connected at theirinner ends to the hubs and extending outwardly through the tubularspokes and rim and mounted for limited pivotal movementcircumferentially of the rim, coil springs with in the tubular rimengaging opposite sides of the spoke rods, a plurality of feet carriedby the outer end of each rod, ground engaging spurs detacha-blyconnected to the feet and a transverse water blade fixed to set of feet.

4-. A ground engaging and Water propelling wheel for land and watervehicles embodying a hollow hub and tubular rim, tubu lar spokesconnecting the hub and rim, spoke rods pivotally connected at theirinner ends to the hubs and extending outwardly through the tubularspokes and rim and mounted for limited pivotal movement circumferenti-ally of the rim, coil springs within the tubular rim engaging oppositesides of the spoke rods, the pivotal mounting for the inner ends of thespokes including pin and slot connections and a coil spring surroundingeach rod, engaging the hub at their inner ends, abutments for the outerendsof the springs carried by the spoke rods, a plurality of feetcarried by the outer end of each rod, ground engaging spurs detachablyconnected to the feet and a transverse water blade fixed to set of feet.

5. A ground engagin and water propelling wheel for land and watervehicles embodying a hub and a tubular rim, tubular spokes between thehub and rim and said rim having openings in the inner and outer sidesthereof registering with the tubular spokes, spoke rods extendingthrough the tubular spokes and projecting through the rim openings andspring devices in the tubular spokes and rim associated with the spoke.rods.

6. A ground engaging and water propelling wheel for land and watervehicles embodying a hub and a tubular rim, tubular spokes between thehub and rim and said rim having openings in the inner and outer sidesthereof registering with the tubular spokes, spoke rods extendingthrough the tubular spokes and projecting through the rim openings andspring devices in the tuhular spokes and rim associated with the spokerods, the mounting for the spoke rods permitting limited axial movementthereof and pivotal movement at their inner ends.

7. A ground engaging and Water propelling wheel for. land and watervehicles embodying a hub and tubular rim, tubular spokes between the huband rim and said rim having openings in the inner and outer sidesthereof registering with the tubular spokes, spoke rods extendingthrough the tubular spokes and projecting through the sides thereofregistering with the tubular spokes, spoketubular spokes rim openings,each spoke rod rods extending through the and projecting through the acoil spring surrounding for normally forcing the same in an outwarddirection and coil springs in the tubular rim engaging opposite sides ofthe spoke rods, the mounting of the spoke rods permitting limited axialmovement thereof and pivotal movement at their inner ends.

9. A ground engaging and Water propellin wheel for land and Watervehicles embodying a hub and a tubular rim, tubular spokes between thehub and rim and said rim having openings in the inner and outer sidesthereof registering with the tubular spokes, spoke rods extendingthrough the tubular spokes and projecting through the rim openings andspring devices in the tubular spokes and rim associated with the spokerods, the outer end of each spoke rod having a plurality of divergentfeet and a transverse water blade secured to the feet.

10. A ground engaging and water propelling Wheel for land; and Watervehicles embodying a hub and a tubular rim, tubular spokes between thehub and rim and said rim having openings in the inner and outer sidesthereof registering with the tubular spokes, spoke rods extendingthrough the tubular spokes and projecting through the rim openings andspring devices in the tubular spokes and rim associated with the spokerods, the mounting for the spoke rods permitting limited axial movementthereof and pivotal movement at their inner ends, the outer end of eachspoke rod having a plurality of divergent feet and a transverse waterblade secured to the feet.

11. A ground engaging and water propelling wheel for land and watervehicles embodying a hub and a tubular rim, tubular spokes between thehub and rim and said rim having openings in the inner and outer sidesthereof registering with the tubular spokes, spoke rods extendingthrough the tubular spokes and projecting through the rim openings, acoil spring surrounding each spoke rod for normally forcing the same inan outer direction and coil springs in the tubular rim engaging oppositesides of the spoke rods, the outer end of each spoke rod having aplurality of divergent 'sp'ekes"b e'tweeni the liub aiid* rim imcl'-said spokes, 'spbke" "rocls' extending thi'dilgli-the m" fiibillarspokes a'nd projectingthrb gl; ;the

a i icoil sp'r'ing (surrounding Y? foi the speke Tb d permitting limitedaxial movement-l thereof ancl pivetal 'inovernent at their iimer (aids,the litter end" of each spoke iocl having a plurality of divergent-feet-'''- and a transverse Water blade seemed f to'the'feet.

Iii testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

- HERMAN 'TRZEGIAK.

